Take Me to the Chapel

Living in Lane County can be a charming mix of city culture and country life. For example, a short drive west from the city of Eugene is Our Daily Bread Restaurant in Veneta. Located in a renovated ’40s-era church, Our Daily Bread is a full-service restaurant offering home-style comfort with a fine dining twist.

The vintage atmosphere of the church offers intriguing nooks for intimate conversation or open space for a family-style, communal experience. You may even chat with a server who attended the church as a young girl.

“What happened is we went with what people liked. People came in and they wanted a Cobb salad,” Perkins says, explaining the restaurant’s expansive menu balances comfort and familiarity (Reuben sandwiches and onion rings) alongside higher-end items like New York steak Rémy Martin and lobster.

Perkins says Our Daily Bread makes everything fresh and from scratch in a GMO-free kitchen where almost all meats and ingredients are sourced locally. The restaurant offers a full bar and a wide selection of local wines.

“We thought dinner would do the best business,” Perkins recalls. Since Veneta is a bedroom community to Eugene-Springfield, “we thought we were going to get people on the way home from work. But that wasn’t the case.”

Instead, Perkins says, Our Daily Bread does brisk breakfast business with retirees and tourists on their way to and from the coast, or in the area sampling local wineries.

Perkins says the most popular breakfast items are the French toast or the hearty, big-appetite McKenzie omelet (stuffed with mushrooms, onions, bacon, tomato and cheddar cheese and served with avocado and black olives, salsa and sour cream upon request). The omelet pairs well with Our Daily Bread’s tasty Bloody Mary.

The chicken curry salad is a popular lunch pick (fresh mixed greens tossed with chicken apples, red onions, dried cranberries, red peppers, a light amount of curry, seasonings, mayo, cashews and coconut). The salad is served both in full and half portions.

Perkins says fish ‘n’ chips and “Our Daily Reuben” are also popular for lunch, featuring pastrami roasted in a hoppy Oregon microbrew. Perkins boasts playfully that many stop by Our Daily Bread for fish on their way to the coast.

For dinner, Perkins picks the chicken McKenzie, which features chicken breast stuffed with dried cranberries, hazelnuts, spinach and feta cheese roasted to a golden brown; it's served with wild rice and seasonal vegetables topped with white wine Beurre Blanc.

“As you can hear,” Perkins says, “we have a Northwest theme.” Our Daily Bread also offers fresh-roasted prime rib as a Friday night special, and the menu includes vegetarian options.

Perkins is quick to mention her appreciation for the overwhelming support Our Daily Bread receives from Veneta locals. “We couldn’t do it without them,” she says.

So whether for date night, a family affair or just a change of pace from Eugene’s increasingly busy downtown restaurants, take a short drive out to Veneta.

Our Daily Bread is located at 88170 Territorial Rd. in Veneta and is open 8 am to 3 pm Monday through Tuesday and 8 am to 8 pm Wednesday through Sunday. See more at ourdailybreadrestaurant.com.